Historical Archive

No other Brazilian institution, public or private, has a framework for trade promotion abroad as significant as Itamaraty, demonstrating the Ministry's role in Brazil's commercial strategy – in the political arena, through governmental and business contacts, as well as in operations, providing information supporting the promotion of foreign trade.

At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Department of Trade Promotion and Investments (DPR) and its network of trade promotion sectors (SECOMs) at Brazil's embassies and consulates are responsible for promoting trade and tourism, attracting foreign investment and contributing to the internationalization of Brazilian companies.

The Department of Trade Promotion and Investments is organized into four divisions:

Investments Division(DINV);

Trade Intelligence Division (DIC);

Trade Promotion Programs Division (DPG) and

Trade Promotion Operations Division (DOC).

Trade promotion sectors in Brazil's embassies and consulates abroad are points of reference for promoting trade and attracting investment. The sectors' tasks include conducting market studies and mediating trade complaints.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs works to attract foreign capital, contributing to the development of Brazil's industries and services, as well as to strengthen its domestic financial market. The Ministry develops initiatives that encourage foreign participation in strategic sectors, promoting socially inclusive economic development.

Seeking to contribute to the internationalization of Brazilian enterprises, Itamaraty develops studies highlighting potential market opportunities and conducts official discussions with foreign Governments on issues of specific interest to Brazilian businesses. These activities are coordinated by the Investments Division.

The Invest&Export Brazil portal, overseen by the Trade Promotion Programs Division, is Itamaraty's publishing vehicle for research and information on Brazil's economy and foreign trade. The Trade Intelligence Division also directly supports Brazil's business community, answering commercial queries and developing materials on foreign trade issues; examples include identifying and creating business opportunities in other countries and contributing to deliberations on Brazil's national export promotion strategy. By strengthening Brazil's trading ties, investment opportunities and integration with other countries, these initiatives become effective instruments of foreign policy.

Itamaraty does not act alone in formulating and implementing Brazil's trade promotion strategy – it develops coordinated initiatives in cooperation with a wide range of interested Brazilian agencies.

In the public sector, Itamaraty regularly cooperates with the Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade (MDIC), the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (MAPA), the Brazilian National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES) and Banco do Brasil –and opens new dialogues at events developed in partnership with the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil). These collaborations show measurable results that strengthen Brazil's trade promotion policies. The promotion of Brazil's tourism grows in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism, the Brazilian Tourism Board (Embratur), state and municipal tourism secretariats, government agencies and private entities.

In the private sector, international initiatives include efforts by organizations like Brazil's National Confederation of Industry and its state-level federations of industry, business associations and country-to-country bilateral chambers of commerce.